The next morning, Sun was even more nervous than usual. If he was going to do this, everything had to be perfect. This was a special occasion, so back to the Lost and Found outfit. He combed his hair and put it up into a fluffy little ponytail. He had been practicing all week to avoid another gel-encrusted disaster. A couple of strands insisted on staying in his face, so he licked his hand and smoothed them back.
"Woah, that actually worked."
He pulled on his socks and shoes and pocketed the ten-dollar bill from Vanessa. He glanced at Moon, still asleep as usual, the brim of his nightcap pulled down over his eyes. He gave him a quick hug. Moon had let Sun get a few hugs in, but not nearly as many as he wanted. He respected his brother's wishes most of the time, but this morning, he couldn't resist.
"Goodbye, Moony. I'll see you later," he whispered. Moon snored slightly louder in response.
The rain hadn't started yet, but Sun grabbed the umbrella, just in case. He waited in the lobby, in the same place as last week. It wasn't long before Jean came in.
"Hi, Jean!"
"Good morning, sweetie! Little bit of deja vu goin' on here. Whatcha doin' today?"
"We're going out for ice cream!"
"I assume 'we' means you and your friend from work?"
He nervously rubbed the back of his neck. "Heh, yeah. Hey Jean, random question… have you ever fallen in love?"
"Random question, huh? Yes, I have. Ronald Drescher. Big lumberjack-lookin' type, but the sweetest guy you'll ever meet. Married him almost thirty-five years ago."
"Thirty-five?!"
"Yeah, I'm ancient, ain't I?"
"Sorry, I didn't mean it like that. How did you two meet?"
Jean smiled. "Well, I was from Brooklyn, and he lived in Queens. Now, he wasn't from there originally, but he wanted to make his way in the big city, you know how it goes. It was late December, almost Christmas, and me and my friends went to skate at Rockefeller Center. Everyone else had the same idea, so it was crowded, but it was so beautiful with the tree and everything that we didn't really care.
"We're havin' a great time, until this huge idiot comes over and crashes into me. We all had our arms linked, and so he managed to knock down all five of us! So I sit up, ready to tell this guy off, but then I realize 'hey, he's kinda cute.' He looks at me with these big, blue eyes, kinda like yours, he apologizes, and of course I forgive him, 'cause what else could I do? And he says 'why don't I make it up to you by buying you dinner?' He took me out for pizza, we had a great time, and it wasn't long before we were hitched. We actually moved down here to be closer to his folks, so if it wasn't for him, we wouldn't be havin' this conversation right now."
"Wow. That's a beautiful story. Does he work here, too?"
"Not anymore. It's kind of a long commute from heaven."
"I'm… sorry."
"Don't be. Ron would want me to keep tellin' our story." She put her hand on his shoulder. "You're a real nice guy, Sam, and if this girl is right for you, you'll know."
A horn honked outside. They both looked out the window to see Chloe's car sitting in front of the door.
"Looks like your girl is here."
His girl. Sun liked the sound of that.
"I guess she is. Bye, Jean! See you later!"
Jean waved goodbye, a caring smile on her face. Sun liked spending time with Jean, and he almost felt bad leaving her. Until he got in the car, that is. The rest of the world melted away as he listened to Chloe's sweet voice. He barely even noticed when they made it to Dairy Queen.
Chloe ordered an Oreo blizzard, and Sun went with a plain vanilla cone. There weren't many other customers, so it wasn't too long before they got their treats. They sat down at a table next to one of the many windows, but he hardly looked outside at all. Nothing out there could compare to his view.
"So, how's school?" he asked.
"School's good. It's kinda crazy right now, but it's all gonna be worth it in the end."
"I'm sure it will! When you're done, I bet kids are gonna dream about having you as a teacher!"
"I doubt they'll love me that much, but thanks. It is great working with the kids. You wanna eat that before it melts?"
"Oh, almost forgot!" Sun smiled and bit into his ice cream. It was very cold. He didn't know teeth could feel this cold. Biting food usually worked, but clearly, biting ice cream was a very not good thing, and he should never do it again. He tried to chew it with a straight face, but he must have failed, because Chloe giggled. He laughed along to pretend he had done it on purpose. It seemed to work.
"Is it good?"
"Mm-hm!" Once he got past the searing cold stabbing into his gums, it was delicious. He had eaten enough foods by now to figure out that sweets were his favorites, and eating sweet treats with sweet people was even better.
"So, how's work going? Do kids dream of having you check them in?"
"Probably not, but that's ok. The kids are wonderful as always! We don't get much time for conversation, but they're all so cute!"
"You know, that's the real reason I wanted to be a teacher. It's just an excuse to look at cute kids all day."
They laughed together. That was certainly a nice perk of both of their jobs.
"Speaking of cute kids, I checked in my first baby last week."
"Aw, how sweet! I won't have any of those in my class, unfortunately."
"Well, if you're ever in need of some baby time, remember you have connections at the Superstar Daycare! Just ask, and we'll let you in."
"Is that… legal?"
"Oh yeah, as long as you bring Tommy. They don't advertise it, but parents and legal guardians can come into the play area with them for up to an hour." Technically, it was 59 minutes, but he rounded up for convenience.
"Really?"
"Yep! You can come on down anytime you like!"
"Thank you for the offer, but at that point I might as well send in my resume. Honestly, if my summer is free enough, I might work there, at least part-time."
"Really?!" If Chloe worked at the daycare, they would have so much time for talking, and hugging, and… and he could teach her how to make Paper Pals! It would be a dream come true! "I will warn you, working at Freddy's can be challenging, but I would love to have you there! A-and so would the kids!"
"Excuse me," said the man sitting at the table next to them, "did you say that you work at Freddy Fazbear's Mega Pizzaplex?"
"Yes, why do you ask?"
"Babe, please, it's ice cream time, not Freddy time," said the woman sitting across from him. He ignored her.
"That's interesting. We actually came here from out-of-state specifically to visit the Hurricane location. Would you mind if I asked you a few questions?"
Sun looked at Chloe, who shrugged. "I guess not. Ask away!"
The man pulled his phone out of his pocket. "Where exactly in the building do you work?"
"At the Superstar Daycare check-in counter."
"Ok, Superstar… Daycare…" he typed on his phone. "Do you enjoy working at the daycare?"
"Well, yes! The hours are long, but I do it for the kids."
"Awesome. I completely understand that. Our son certainly is the light of our lives."
"I'm sure he's excited!"
"For what? Oh! No, nonono, he's staying with some friends right now. We're not taking our son anywhere near Freddy's. Speaking of, have you noticed anything… odd on your shifts? Mysterious stains, weird smells, people or animatronics in places they shouldn't be?"
"Babe," the woman, likely his wife, begged.
"Hold on, Steph."
"Uhhh, no, not really. It's just a normal daycare. Full of… children."
"Living children?"
"Matthew!" Steph grabbed his arm.
"I'm… not sure I understand your question, sir." He did, but he tried not to think about the lost Starshines. This was not the time or the place to have a breakdown.
"Don't mind him. We were just leaving. Weren't we, darling?" She gave Matthew a stare that told him this wasn't a question.
"But I- but the lore, Steph!" He sighed. "Apparently, we have other matters to attend to. Thank you for your time."
The odd couple left the restaurant, and they were alone again.
"That was… interesting," said Chloe.
"That's one way to put it."
"The daycare seems perfectly normal to me. Except for that creepy statue by the check-in."
"Creepy statue?" Sun only knew about one statue by check-in, but surely she couldn't mean-
"The one with the two… clowns? Or are they jesters? Y'know, the big golden one right as you come in?"
"Oh, that statue! I've been working there so long, I barely notice it anymore! Counter, couches, giant statue, just part of the scenery! I think it's based on the animatronic that used to work there?"
"Ah, that explains it. Tommy loves that thing, but it just freaks me out. It's probably silly, but I actually had a nightmare about it the other day."
"Oh?" Sun half-laughed. Of course she hated him! It made sense, but that didn't make it hurt any less.
"Oh, please, not her! Anyone but her! The one time I can actually put effort into a personal relationship, and she insults me to my face!
…Except…
it's not my face."
If she really hated him, she wouldn't be here, would she? She thought he was nice, and funny, and… she liked his smile. She liked his smile. That's what Tommy said, and he never lied. And it was his, wasn't it? It was part of the face which was attached to the body that he was currently in control of. That made sense. She didn't hate him. She only hated that face, the one that had gotten many similar reactions over the years. The one that wasn't currently attached to him.
To be honest, he kind of hated it, too, that glorified dinner plate with colorless eyes and too many teeth. It was a miracle their design was ever approved for release to the public. Who looks at a face like that and says "The children are going to LOVE this!" Someone who doesn't like kids, that's who. Most of the Glamrocks had sharps claws and fangs, and they were cuter than him! Maybe their head designer failed an astronomy class, and had a grudge against anything space-related.
But that wasn't him. Not right now. That was Sun, the creepy animatronic who was almost universally hated, and didn't even own his own body. He was Sam, the charming young man who had lost his home in a storm, but otherwise had everything going for him. In a way, this wasn't any different than usual. He was used to being two people. The only difference was that now he controlled both of them. It was perfect.
"Yeah, it was strange. By the way, I can't help but notice you said 'used to work there.' Mr. Sun isn't coming back from his vacation, is he?"
"Hard to say. They don't exactly keep us up to speed on that kind of stuff, but…"
He hoped the answer was no. Despite the pitter-patter of rain on the roof and the water droplets slowly covering the windows, in that moment, it seemed unlikely that there would ever be another storm big enough for a cover story, and Vanessa wouldn't let them go with her after-hours without that. Even if there was, maybe Moon would forget by then. Maybe he would see that this life really was better.
"I see. Well, if you find out for sure, let me know. There's a little boy who's been asking about him."
"That little boy hasn't been to the daycare in a while, either." He licked his ice cream like a normal person. He could do this. He could be normal, he just had to learn.
"He's hardly been anywhere. Carrie just wants to spend some extra time with him. I think she feels bad about not being there for him while she was on bedrest, even though it's not her fault. He's getting kind of antsy, though. She might have to bring him back soon."
"Whenever she's ready, we'll be glad to take care of him!"
They talked for a long time, about silly things and serious things, but they didn't say any more about Freddy's. At some point, his free hand wrapped around hers, and neither of them moved. The rain stayed light and gentle, providing soothing background noise that complemented Chloe's melodic voice. Sam would've been happy to stay there forever, but eventually he had to go to work.
As they were driving there, he remembered something.
"Oh! We need to decide where to go next week!"
"Thanks for reminding me. I… actually have something a little different in mind, if it's ok with you."
"Let's hear it!"
Chloe took a deep breath. "I was thinking maybe you could come over to my house next week. I mean, it's Carrie's house, but I do live there and everything."
"You want me to come to your house?" When kids invited friends to their houses, it was a sign of true friendship, the kind that goes beyond school or the daycare. If Chloe was inviting him over…
"Yeah. I don't know when Carrie's gonna be comfortable going back to the daycare, but I thought we could have a nice little brunch, and you could meet my family. Maybe even catch my parents on Zoom if they're not too busy. I-if you want. What do you think?"
Sun hadn't always had the best luck with parents, but they seemed to like Sam much better. And if these parents could raise an angel like Chloe, they must be the best parents in the world!
"I think… that sounds great!"
"Really?" She looked him in the eyes as they came to a stop light.
"Really! I would love to meet your family, especially if they're anywhere near as wonderful as you!"
She smiled at him and giggled her wonderful giggle. Sam realized they were awfully close to each other. He also realized that he had forgotten to kiss her before leaving Dairy Queen. There were multiple times he had wanted to, but it never felt quite right. Now that they were alone, this was a good a time as any. He slowly leaned in, remembering last night's practice.
But the light turned green. She went back to driving, and he stared out the windshield. Did she start to lean in, too? It was hard to tell. He didn't say much for the rest of the drive. He almost tried again when they got to the Pizzaplex, but he couldn't do it.
He spent most of his shift kicking himself. How could he have messed that up? All he had to do was lean over and touch his mouth to her mouth, or cheek, or forehead, but he couldn't find the right timing. He could have asked, but what if she said no? What if she didn't feel the same way about him? What if she didn't like kissing? This was a lot more complicated than the movies.
Still, he couldn't be completely disappointed. They had a very nice date, and he was going to meet her family next week. And it would be his first time in a real house. He could hardly wait!
When he and Moon got home, they quickly tidied up the living room before talking with Gregory on the couch. He told them about his day at school while playing a new obby one of his friends had introduced him to.
"…and his dad is, like, really worried, because they can't get the car in the garage, and there's supposed to be another storm tomorrow night."
"What?" said Sun and Moon.
"You didn't know?"
"How could we possibly know?" asked Moon.
"I dunno. I thought Vanessa would have told you by now."
They all looked toward Vanessa, who was drinking coffee at the kitchen table.
"Sorry, guess I forgot."
"That's ok, Vanessa," said Sun. "We forgive you!"
"Thanks, guys."
"Of course," Moon hissed. "We all make mistakes."
Sun almost wished he had looked a day further on the weather forecast. It wouldn't have stopped the storm, but maybe he would have been more prepared.
"So, I guess this means we're coming to work with you tomorrow."
She took another sip of her coffee. "Guess so."
"It's about time!" Moon exclaimed. "We've been waiting forever so that you can have your storm excuse."
"It's not just the storm. The S.T.A.F.F. bots-"
"Won't be a problem. Tomorrow night, you are taking us to the Pizzaplex, we are searching Roxy Raceway, and we will not stop searching until we find what we're looking for."
…
Sun couldn't sleep that night. He didn't want tomorrow to come any faster than it had to. He had pretended to be asleep at first, but now he was standing at the window, looking out into the night. The rain had slowed to a drizzle, but the sky was still covered in gray clouds, blocking out the moon and stars. Most cars were off the road by now, at least in this part of town, but he could still see lights in a few windows. Other buildings filled with people he had never met, and never would meet. Why were they still awake? Were they working? Throwing parties? Having trouble sleeping, maybe because of problems they couldn't solve? He sighed and sat down on the couch. He was going to miss this couch. It really was very comfortable.
Vanessa tiptoed out of her room, dressed in her uniform.
"Heading off to work?" he whispered.
She jumped.
"Gosh, Sun, I thought you'd be asleep by now."
"Me too. But, honestly, I'm kind of glad that I'm still awake."
"Why? You're going to need your rest for tomorrow."
"I know, but being awake gives me time to think."
"About what?"
Sun brought his knees up to his chest. "About… life, I guess."
"Yeah, I do that a lot. Is there any way I can help you?"
"I don't think you can. You've always been human—you've always been real—and you always will be. I wasn't supposed to be alive. I was supposed to be a made-up character who existed solely to entertain children. I wasn't supposed to have real thoughts, opinions, or feelings, I was only supposed to trick kids into thinking I did. There were some days I believed that was all I was, and all I could be. But then, this happened. It was scary at first, but as time went on, I found out how beautiful life can be. I grew to love the world outside, its culture, its people… one person in particular…"
"It's about time you admitted that." Vanessa leaned on the armrest of the couch.
"Yeah, kinda late, aren't I? Part of me thought that maybe this would last forever. Of course, as soon as I get too comfortable, it's rain, rain, and nothing but rain. I think I know how you feel about Luis."
"Luis? We're-"
"Don't. After everything you've said about me, do not pretend that you're 'just friends,' because you're not. One time, when I was cleaning your room, I accidentally knocked your journal off of its shelf. I wasn't going to look inside, but it opened to one of your drawings. You're really good, by the way. They look just like him."
Vanessa sighed in response. She wasn't ready to admit it yet, but the truth was pretty clear.
"Anyway, you probably feel like wrapping your arms around him, squeezing as tight as you can, and never letting go."
"My relationships are my business."
"Let me finish. I know you feel that way because that's how I feel about Chloe. The difference is that I have to let go. You don't. Don't be afraid, Vanessa. The next time he asks you out, say yes. Go on a date. If you like it, go on two dates, three dates, four. If you've been dating for a while and you still like him, get married. That's what it's called, right?" She nodded, and he took her hands in his. "Go and live happily ever after, and if you ever need someone to watch your kids, you know where I'll be."
They stood in silence for a moment.
Finally, Vanessa took her hands back.
"You're awfully insightful after 11pm."
"Yeah. I think it's a combination of sleep deprivation, existential dread, and whatever grows on week-old pepperoni."
"You've been eating the pizza? You know you can bring your own food, right?"
"You can? Why does everybody assume I know things?" He sighed. "Guess it's too late now."
"Guess so. Bye Sun, see you tomorrow."
Sun smiled at her. "See you tomorrow."
She left for work, and he let himself fall asleep.
